Railway-train bumper.



No. 861,773. PATENTED JULY 30, 1907.

A. L. STANFORD. RAILWAY TRAIN BUMPER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18.1907.

. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

in. 881,773. rn'finmn my 30, 1907.

- A. L. smnroan.

I RAILWAY TRAIN BUMPER.

APPLIUATIO'I IILBD 1318,1907.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3- I iu I PATENTS!) JULLBO, 1907.

A. L. STANFORD. RAILWAY TRAIN BUMPER.

RiLIOATIOI nun sun: 10,1501.

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PATENT OFFICE.

ARTIIUR L. STANFORD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY-TRAIN BUMPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed June 18, 1907. Serial No. 379,590.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I. Airmen L. Sraxronn, a citizen of the ['nitedStates, residing at. Chicago, in the county of Cook and State oflllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailway-Train Burnpers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to train bumpers of the gen- -eral characterdisclosed in Patent No. 537,621, granted to me .-\pril 26. 1895; and theinvention more particularly relates to numerous structural features ofthe bumper as a whole, whereby great strength and rigidity are secured.

The invention further relates to the means for uniting the various partsof the bumper together in such manner as to avoid all shearing actionand reinforce one another to the grcate-=t possible extent.

The invention furthermore relates to the structure of the bumper headandthe means whereby it is secured to and united with the timbers.

-The invention likewise relates to the formation of the bumper timbers,whereby the necessity for cutting away the timbers at the point ofconnection is obviated and the maximum strength of the timbersmaintained.

The invention likewise relates to the means for securing the timbers tothe rails, and the means for securing and reinforcing the anchor rods,and the invention likewise relates to the means employed for fasteningthe ends of the anchor rods, whereby the necessity ft )1 using a screwthreaded nut is avoided, together with the disadvantages incident tosuch mode of construction.

The invention finally relates to the numerous features ofconstruction'and combinations of parts hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the drawings Figure l is a perspective view of the front of thebumper; Fig. 2 a perspective view of the rear of the bumper; Fig. 3 aside elevation of the head showing the mode of attachment; to one of thetimbers, which latter is shown in section; Fig. 4 a sectional elevationof the bumper head; Fig. 5a rear face view of the lnnnper head; Fig. 6a. side elevation of the same; Fig. 7 a top or plan view of the dividedwasher for securing the upper end of one of the anchor rods; Fig. 8 asectional elevation of the same, showing the anchor rod in elevation;Fig. 9 a detail, showing, in section, one of the rail clips for securingthe anchor rod to the rail; Fig. 10 a detail,- showing the lower end ofone of the anchor rods, and the divided bracket, whereby it is secured;Fig. 11 an under face view of the divided bracket of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 aside elevation of one of the shoes, for uniting the lower end of thebumper timber to the rail; Fig. 13a sectional plan view of the shoe,showing the mode of attachment to the web of the rail; Fig. 14 a crosssectional elevation of the same; Fig. 15 a detail of one of the anchorrods; and Fig. 16 a detail of the tie rod.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the bumper consists, cssentially, of a pairoftimber beams 17, which are united, at. their converging upper ends, bymeans of a bumper head 18. The timbers are set at an angle ofsubstantially 15 degrees with respect to the horizontal, and the angleof convergence with one another is reduced to the minimum consistentwith the use of a bumper structure of this formation. The convergingbumper timbers are supported and reinforced by a pair of anchor rods 19,which, like the timbers, are set at an angle approximately 45 degreeswith respect to the horizontal or track plane, and the upper ends. ofsaid rods, converge toward one another sutiiciently to engage the sidesof the timbers to which they are secured in a manner to be hereinafterexplained.

Each of the anchor rods comprises an upper section 20 and a lowersection 21, the upper section, above the track level, being ofconvergent formation, and the lower section 21, below the track level,extending perpendicularly with respect to the track. The lower orstraight section of each of the anchor rods is entered between a pair oftie beams 22, which are immediately below and parallel with the railties 23, and are located a considerable distance below the ground. Theend of the anchor rod is securcd by means of a divided bracket 24, andthe anchor rod is secured at its bend or elbow to the web of theadjacent rail by means of a clip 25, the construction of which bracketand clip will hereafter be more fully explained. The anchor tie beamsare held against displacement under strain by means of a pair of posts26, and the upper ends of the posts abut against the flange 27 of therails 28, so that the tie beams will be held by the weight of the trainas it strikes the bumper. The rails, immediately behind the attachedelbows of the anchor rods, are reinforced by means of a spacer beam 29which braces the rails against the inward pull of the anchor rods understrain, and the spacer is supplemented by a tiered 30, in closeproximity to the lower ends of the timbers, which serves an oppositefunction in preventing the spreading of the rails under the distendingstrain of the timbers.

The timbers are not only positioned in convergent relation with oneanother and in diagonal relation with respect to the plane of the tracksurface, but are also slightly turned or twisted so that their flat sidefaces are slightly out of the perpendicular. vergcnt upper ends 31 areflat and at right angles to the side faces of the timbers, and each ofthe end faces has cut therein a mortise slot 32, the two slots being cutin substantially parallel relation with respect; to the top and bottomfaces of the respective timbers, which gives the slots a convergentrelation with re- The conspect to one another, but. the slots are cutperpendicular with respect to the plane of the track, so that the planeof the slots is out of parallel with the plane of the side faces of thetimbers. The inner forma tion of each of the slots is best indicated inFig. 3, the main portion of he mortise slot terminating in a verticalwall 33 which is at an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to thesurface of the timber and the grain of the timber, and the wall 33, atits upper end, terminates in a shoulder 34, which extends transversely,or at an angle of 90 degrees, with respect to the grain of the timber,the mortise slot being of the formation indicated by the inner terminalwalls thereof. Each of the convergent mortise slots is intended toreceive one of the rearwardly divergent side flanges 35, of the bumperhead which serves the dual capacity of a striking plate or stop fo thecontact of the coupler head, and also as abridge for securing theconvergent ends of the two timbers together. Each of the rearwardlydivergent side walls 35 is provided at its rear upper corner with ashoulder 36, which is adapted to engage the shouldered surface 34 of themortise slot, and the straight vertical edge 37 of the side wall isadapted to engage the straight wall 33 of the mortise slot. The lowerrear corner of each of the side walls is provided with a lower shoulder38, which is adapted to bear against the under face of the timberadjacent to the slot, which formation of the side wall furnishes upperand lower bearing points, at right angles to one another, which, incombination with the straight edge, prevent the bumper head from beingtilted in either direction in case it fails to receive a blow directlyin the center. The side walls of the bumper head are connected by upperand lower cross walls 39' and 40 respectively, and an intermediate ribor flange 41, which walls and flanges are much narrower or shallowerthan the side walls, as best shown in Fig. 5, and the upper cross wall39, which abuts against the convergent ends of thetimbers, serves tofurther reinforce the structures at this point. In view of the fact thatcouplers of the standard formation are ordinarily positioned a shortdistance to the right of the center of a car, the bumper head isaccordingly positioncd, and the mortise slots in the ends of the timbersare cut to meet this requirement.

Each of the lower or divergent ends of the timbers is cut to provide aslot or mortise 42, the inner edge 43 of which extends in substantiallytransverse relation to the grain of the timber, and is adapted toreceive the inner edge 44 of a shoe 45, best illustrated in Fig. 12. Theshoe comprises an upper or Web portion 46, which is of rectangularformation on three sides and extends .at an angle of substantially 45degrees with respect to the horizontal, so that the upper and loweredges 47 and 48 lie substantially flush with the upper and lower facesof the slotted timber. The lower or base portion 49 of the shoeterminates in front and rear vertical edges 50 and 5i respectively, anda straight base edge 52. The front and rear edges 50 and 51 are, ineffect, a continuation of the sloping edges 48 and 47. The lower or baseportion 49 of the shoe is provided at suitabl intervals with companionflanges 53 which xt nd outwardly from the web of the shoe, and give tothe base portion of the shoe a substantially hexagonal formation. theflanges being provided with outwardl) converging angular contact faces5-1. This formation of the base of the shoe permits the same shoe to beused in connection with either rail by adjusting the shoe as shown inFig. 14. to bring the base edge into contact with the flange of therail, and the angularly disposed lower faces 54, of the adjacent flangeson the same side of the shoe, into contact with the web of the fail, theshoe. as 9 whole. extending in diagonal relation with respect to therail and lilting snugly into the angle between the web and the flange.The formation is one which permits the same shoe to beuscd in connectionwith either mil by simply bringing one side or the other of the head ofthe shoe into contact with the desired rail.

fntm'mediate the flanges the head is provided with a plurality ofoutwardly divergent holes 55, each of which comprises flat bearingsurfaces 56 at the ends of the hole. The btaring faces are adapted tocooperate with bolts 57 which are passed through the web of the rail,and the bearing faces of the hole are so disposed that the bolt willproperly register with two of the faces when the shoe is tilted to thenecessary angle. The inner end of the bolt has entered thereonto a heavywasher 58, which bridges the space between an adjacent pair of flangesand abuts against the upper angular faces 56 thereof. The washer is heldin place.

by means of a nut 59, the entire formation being one which clamps andholds the shoe tightly in place against the rail, and the angle of thethrust exerted on the shoe by the timber, is one which will avoid a.shearing strain and relieve the bolts to the greatest possible extent.The shoe is preferably of ribbed formation and is held within the recessor mortise by means of bolts 60 which are entered through bn-lt h fies61 near the diagonal end face 44 of the shoe.

The tie rod 30, previously referred to, is provided. at one end with abook 61, which engages the outer fiaa 3c of one of the rails, and theopposite end 62 efthe tie rod is screw threaded and has entered thereona lug 63 which engages the outer flange of the companion rail and isclamped thereonto by means of a nut 64, which arrangement, incombination with the rail spikes, serves to prevent spreading of therails under strain.

The upper ends of the anchor rods are entered through the ends of theyoke plate 65 which extends across the upper flat faces of the timbersfrom side to side thereof and outwardly projects therefrom, as indicatedin Figs. 1 and 2. The ends of the anchor rods are entered throughdiagonally extending slots (i6 cut. through the upper outer corners ofthe respective timbers and the rods terminate in heads 67 which areforged onto, or integrally formed with the rods, to prevent thenecessity for threading, which is an inferior mode of applying a head'or enlargement to a rod, which must of necessity be subjected to severestrains. The projecting upper end of the tie rod, below the head, issurrounded by a divided washer comprising sections 68, best shown inFig. 7, each of which sections comprises a. half collar 69 adapted toembrace the end of the rod, immediately below the head t'i7, and thehall" collar has outwardly extending therefrom inner and outer ribs 70and TI respectively, whichdare secured together by bolts and nuts 72.The inner di ameter of each of the collars is slightly less than half acircle, so that when the two sections of the washer are positionedaround the end of the rod, the parts may be tightly clamped together bymeans of the nuts. Eachof the sections further comprises an elongatedllat base portion 73. which furnishes a bearing iol contact with theyoke plate 85, and the inner end of each of the baseportions is providedon its inner edge with a halt circular recess 74 adapted to embrace aheaded bolt, the companion hali circular recesses in the two sectionsfurnishing a substantially complete hole for the passage of the bolt.The bolt extends diametrically through the timber. and receives on itslower end a nut Ttl. which arrangcnu-nt serves to securely unite theanchor plate to the timbers.

The rail clips 25 are in the form of a block 77 provided with asemi-circular recess 78 adapted to receive the anchor rod immediatelybelow its elbow. The anchor rod is embraced by a U bolt 79. the ends ofwhich pass through the block 77 immediately adjacent to the semicircularrecess. and are passed through the web of the rail. as shown in Fig. 9,receiving on their inner ends nuts 80. The body of the clip hasoutwardly extending therefrom cars 81, through which are entered boltsS2, having on their ends nuts 83, which arrangement of bolts and puts.in combination with the U bolt, provides a very strong and rigidattachment for the anchor r ds, the strain being distributed in such amanner as to avoid any shearing effect, and the body of the block 77serving to space the anchor rodssuli eiently to clear the rail at thispoint.

The lower nd of each of the anchor rods is provided with a forged head84, best shown in Fig. 10. which head is engaged by the members 85, ofthe divided bracket 24. Each of the members comprises a base plate 86.on which is formed a half collar 87, from which extend flanges 88. Thetwo members are adapted to be clamped together by means of bolts andnuts 89, which extend through the ilanges 8S and clamp the halfcollarsections tightly around the end of the anchor rod intermediate theenlarged head and the lower faces of the anchor tie beams. The baseplates of the companion section extend transversely with respect to theanchor timbers, and bridge the space between the two timbers, as shownin Fig. 1. The formation of the hall collars and flanges is one whichaffords great rigidity to the divided bracket, and the integralformation of the upper and lower heads on the anchor rods obviates thenecessity for employing threads. which might beslripped off under theonerous conditions of actual usage.

When the bumper is subjected to the shock of a colliding car, the bumperhead will equally distribute the shock between the two timbers, whichreceive the shock at. an angle of about. degrees with respect to therails, which causes a binding or cramping, rather than a. slippingaction with respect to the rails to which the timbers are attached. Thisbinding or cnnnping action prevents shearing of the bolts which securethe shoes to the rails, and the tie rod, which is located at the pointof greatest elliciency, prevents any spreading of the rails whensubjected to the shock of the collision. The formation of the shoes isone which provides a bearing edge or surface at right angles to thegrain of the timber and the line of the shock, and the mode ofattachment is one which preserves the entire strength of the timberwhich is not cut away at any point. except for the mortise slots. Theflanged formation of the head of the shoe is one which combines greatstrength and rigidity and at the same time permits a single shoe toserve either as a right or left shoe, which works a saving in the costof manufacture. and permits the parts to be more readily positioned andassembled.

The formation of the bumper head is one whi h serves. to equallydistribute the shock to both of the timbers and at the same time thehead acts as a bridge for securing the convergent ends of the timberstogether without the necessity for utting down the timbers at theirpoint of convergence, and thereby weakening the structureprtiportionately. The method of forming and securing the anchor rods isone which secures a maximum of strength. and permits the parts to beassembled with ease and rapidity. The pro- Vision'of the anchor tiebeams and the cooperating uprights which abut the under surface of themils. serves to anchor down the bumper by the entire weight of the.engine or car and the track, which effectually prevents the, possibilityof the anchorage being loosened. The formation of the bumper. as. awhole, is one which permits the structure to be applied to a trackwithout cutting or dis .rrting the track in any way, and the resultingstructure is one which provides a clearance for the pilot of alocomotive. which is enabled to run in between the anchor rods withoutdiiliculty.

The device, as a whole, is one in which the shock is evenly distributedthroughout the entire structure, and being founded upon the railsthemselvt s. and held in position by the weight of an approaching train,it is capable of resisting the severe shock of actual usage withoutdanger or diiiiculty.

'hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A railway bumper. comprising two convergent tinibers. means forsecuring the timbers at their lower ends. and a bumper plate providedwith side walls entered into the convergent ends of the timbers. forlocking the timbers together. substantially as described.

2. A railway bumper. comprising two convergent tinibers. means forsecuring the timbers at their lower ends. a bumper head provided withside walls entered into the convergent ends of the timbers. for lockingthe timbers together, and anchor rods extending: in a direction inopposition to the direction of the timbers, substantially as de. bed.

A railway bumper. comprising two convergent timbers extending upwardlyin diagonal relation with respect to the track. and of uniform thicknessat their convergent ends. the ends being provided with mortise slots cutin :tiinement with the grain of the timbers, and a bumper head providedwith rearwardly divergent sides entered into the mortise slots, forlocking the timbers together and distributing the shock. substantiallyas described.

4. A railway bumper. comprising convergent timbers extending in diagonalrelation with respect to the track. and provided in their convergentends with inwardly extending mortise slots. each of the slotsterminating in a wall diagonally extending with respect to the body-oithe timber. said wall terminating: in a shoulder extending in transverserelation with respect to the body of the timber.

relation with respect to the track. and provided in their convergentends with inwardly ex tending mortise slots each of the slotsterminating in a wall diagonally extending with respect to the body ofthe timber. said wall terminating in a shoulder extending in transverserelation with respect to the body of the timber. a bumper head providedwith rear rdly divergent side walls entered into the mortise slots. eachof the side walls terminating in its upper corner in a shoulde' adaptedto bear a inst the transversely extending shoulder in the mortise slot.and each of the side walls being provided at its lower corner with ashoulder adapted to bear against extending in diagonal the under face oftile timber adjacent to the inner end of thc mortise slot. substantiallyas described.

t. A r.-til\v.-ty bumper, comprising convergent timbers extending indiagonal reiation with respect to the track. and provided in theirconvergent ends with inwardly extending mortise slots. each of the slotstertninating in a wall diagonally extending with respect to the body ofthe timbcr..said wall terminating in a shoulder extending in transverserelation with respect to the body of the timber.

of the timbers. and a shoe at the lower end of each of the] titnbers,said shoe comprising an attaching portion entered into the end of thetimber, and an enlarged base portion having a bearing surface adapted tolie in facial contact with the web of the rail, and a lower edge adantedto contact the flange of the rail, the shoe being reversible, and boltsentered through the head of the shoe and the web of the rail.substantially as described. I

S. A railway bumper, comprising a pair of convergent timbers set indiagonal relation with respect to the tracl-z, a bumper bead secured tothe convergent ends of the timbers. each of the timbers having cut inits lower end a mortise slot, anti :1 shoe for each of the timbers compring a web portion extending in parallel relation with respect to thetimber, anti a base portion in parallel relation with respect to thetrack, the base portion having formed on each side a plur lity offlanges, each of the flanges having upper and lower bearing faces inangular relation with respect to one another, the base being providedwith bolt holes between the flanges, washers adapted to bridge the spacebetween the companion inner flanges and rest upon the upper bearingfaces thereof, bolts entered through the web of the rail, through thebolt. holes, and through the washers, anti nuts on the ends of thebolts, the lower bearing faces of the outer flanges abutting against:the web of the rail, and the bottom of the base portion abutting againstthe flange of the rail, the shoe being reversible and adapted to titeither rail, substantially as described.

9. A railway bumper, comprising convergent timbers forwardly extendingin diagonal relation with respect to the track, a bumper head secured tothe convergent ends of the timbers, a shoe at the lower end of each ofthe timbers, said shoe comprising a web portion entered into the end ofthe timber, an enlarged base portion having a bearing surface adapted tolie in facial contact with the web of the rail. anti a lower edgeadapted to contact: the flange of the rail, the shoe being reversible,bolts entered through the head of the shoe and the web of the rail. anda tie rod connecting the rails together adjacent to the shoes andadapted to prevent spreading, substantially as described.

10. railway bumper, comprising convergent timbers forwardly extending indiagonal relation with respect to the track. a bumper head secured tothe convergent ends of the timbers, a shoe at the lower end of each ofthe timbers. said shoe comprising a web portion entered into the end 01'the timber, an enlarged base portion having a. bearing surface adaptedto lie in pivotal contact with the respect to scribed.

11. railway bumper. con pri. mg a pair of convergent timbers forwardlyextending in th spect to the tra "t and secured to the track at theirlower ends. a bumper head secured to the convergent ends of the timbers.anchor rods. each comprising a diagonally extend in': Upper section anda vertical lower section, a rail clip for each of the anchor rods, eachof said rail clips having a recess adapted to receive the anchor rodnear its elbow,

a U bolt embracing the tie rod. and having its ends passed through thclip. and through the web of the rail, nuts on the ends of the U bolt.anti means for securing the lower end of the anchor rod, substantialL'as described.

railway bumper. compr'v ng a pair of convergent: timbers forwardlyextending in diagonal relation with respect to the track and secured tothe track at their lower ends. a bumper head secured to the convergentends of the timbers. anchor rods. each comprising a diagonally extendingupper section and a vertical lower see ion. a rail clip for each of theanchor rods. each of said rail clips having a recess adaptetl to receivethe anchor rod near its elbow, a ".l' bolt embracing the tie rod. andhaving its ends passed through the clip. and through the web of therail, nuts on the ends ot the U bolt. an anchor tie beam, :1 posthearing at its lower end against the tie beam, and at its upper endagainst the rail. antl means for securing the anchor rod to the tiebeam. substantially as described.

13 A railway bumper. comprising a pair of convergent timbers forwardlyextending in diagonal relation with respect to the track and secured tothe track at their lower ends, a bttmper head secured to the convergentends of the timbers. anchor rods, each comprising a diagonally extending upper section and a vertical lower st -tion. a rail clip for each ofthe anchor rods. each of said rail clips having a recess adapted toreceive the anchor rod near its elbow, a U bolt embracing the tie rod,and having its ends passed through the clip. and through the web of therail. nuts on the ends of the U bolt, an anchor tie beam, at posthearing at its lower end against the tie beam, and at its upper endagainst the rail. a head on the lower end of the anchor rod. and a diided bracket embracing the rod intermediate the head and the tie beam,means for clamping the sections of the brack -t togct z-"t.substantially as described.

14. A r: lway bumper, comprising convergent timbers extending in diagnal relation with respect to the track. a

timber head secured to the convergent ends of the timbers a yoke plateextending across the rear faces of the timbers anchor rods comprisingvertical lower sections and com vergcnt diagonally extending uppersections entered through the yoke plate, an upper head on each oftheanchor rods. a divided washerembracing the rod iuterme diate the headanti the yoke plate, means for clamping the f sections of the washertogether, means for securing the anchor rod to the rail, an anchor tiebeam below the rail,- and upright posts interposed between the tie beamand the rails, a beat. on the lower end of each of the anchor rods. anda divided bracket interposed between each head and the powerface of the.tie beam, and means for clamping the sections of the bracket together,substantially as described.

- railw: forwardly ext ntling in diagonal relation with respect to vbumper, comprising convergent timbers is and secured to the rails attheir rear ends, anchor

